Advancing Good Practices in
Building Interdisciplinary:
Moving towards User-oriented Science (3101)
Marcelo Saguier, CONICET/FLACSO/UNSAM
Andrea K. Gerlak, University of Arizona
S
Project Goal
To reflect on and improve the current practices of
knowledge generation, mobilization and use with
respect to the social and environmental impacts
of hydropower development and water-energy
futures in South America
Uruguay
River
 Core of agricultural




and industrial
production of the
Southern Cone
History of cooperation
and conflict
Significant hydropower
development
Growing social
resistance
Garabí-Panambi
hydroelectric complex
Project Objectives
S To build an interdisciplinary socio-scientific network between
natural scientists, social scientists, policy-makers and social actors
involved in water politics as governance mechanisms and practices
S To identify and assess ways of articulating interactions between
public officials, natural sciences experts, social scientist and social
actors as governance processes to generate knowledge
S To provide practical guidance and good practices toward
improving the generation and mobilization of knowledge on
interdisciplinary problem-and-solution-oriented projects
Phase 1: Hydroenergy and Climate
Change Workshop
 Buenos Aires, July 2014
 Academic researchers,
public water officials, and
representatives of NGOs
 To identify and frame
global change research
questions in the context of
hydropower development
and water-energy futures in
South America
Products associated with Phase 1
Phase 2: Crafting an Interdisciplinary
Agenda for Action in the Uruguay
River Basin
S To develop an interdisciplinary agenda for action can help
identify opportunities for cooperative management of the
Uruguay River Basin
S Work collaboratively in small teams to articulate the
scientific and policy issues around three key “priority”
dimensions
S land use & related infrastructure
S biodiversity & ecosystem functions
S transboundary basin governance
Process of Science Integration
Workshop
Planning
 Itaipu, Brazil
 May 2016
 Collaboration with
Centro Internacional de
Hidroinformática CIH/UNESCO
Reflections on Process
S Partner selection process involved extensive work that combined
group activities and individual interviews and meetings
S Importance of understanding the different partners' incentives to
engage in the project to ensure sustained commitment
S Existing networks and institutional infrastructure facilitates the
creation of a viable project team
S Ongoing challenges with communication patterns, behaviors and
geographical distances